28 November 2011

A Day in the Life: Lucas v City

There seems little point in doing a usual chalkboard review. I'd end up focusing on Lucas Leiva's marvelous performance, and you can just as easily head to the Guardian or Stats Zone app and see them for yourself. Each is a beautiful, unique snowflake worthy of admiration, and I recommend doing so.

I thought I'd display his statistics somewhat differently.

As usual, click to expand. Larger version available here. You can see similar in StatsZone's player dashboard, but not in its full chronological glory, which does the comprehensive, exhaustive performance more justice.

Lucas won more tackles and aerial duels than any other player (with zero unsuccessful in both categories), tied for the most completed passes with Barry and Toure, and tied for the most interceptions with Clichy and Kompany, while committing just one foul (in the 7th minute). He was head and shoulders the best player on the pitch; only Hart's brilliant saves get him in the discussion. I also can't help but mention that the Brazilian completed 11 straight passes in less than four minutes, from the 78th through the 81st – that very thick block of dark blue near the end of the chart. That's only four passes fewer than Agüero completed in his 82 minutes on the pitch.

Lucas put in work for 90 straight minutes, and it shows in his statistics, as well as the effusive praise he's getting from all corners of the internet. I'm admittedly prone to exaggeration when it comes to the player and have said it so much I fear it'll lose its meaning, but he's indescribably important to this Liverpool side, and would walk into almost any XI in the league. Few sides have so diligent a destroyer, and even fewer are as clever, disciplined, durable, and efficient. Or young, for that matter; it's incredibly easy to forget the midfielder's still just 24.